The heavyweight champion Klitschko is going into his 19th title defence.

November 28, 2015 17:51 IST

Wladimir Klitschko, reigning and defending boxing heavyweight champion of the world, will take on Tyson Fury in a 12-round battle in the boxing ring on Saturday at the Esprit Arena in Dusseldorf, Germany.

“"It's a very interesting fight because this is the first time Klitschko is fighting someone as big as him and with longer arms. He will have to be a little bit more aggressive, otherwise the younger guy will have more speed and more energy and I think that may be the difference. "Klitschko has got the experience, so if Tyson waits on him, Klitschko will out-box him. But if he uses his speed and reach it will be a great chance for him to win."”

- Evander Holyfield

The pro boxing bout, which has Klitschko's WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles on the line, is billed as the second-greatest boxing fight this year, after the 'Fight of the Century' between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao in May.

The build-up to the heavyweight bout between veteran Ukrainian Klitschko and the 27-year-old Brit has not been too fierce, as Fury has provided comic relief by donning the role of comic superhero 'Batman', besides turning a singer to belt out Bette Milder's rendition of 'Wind beneath my wings'.

Both the boxers have an unbeaten record in the last nine years. While Klitschko comes in with an overall career tally of 64 wins from 67 pro boxing bouts, with 18 successful title defences, Fury stays undefeated with 24 wins from 24 fights so far.

Klitschko weighed-in at 17 stones 7 pounds, while the challenger weighed in a pound more in the official weigh-in held on Friday held in Essen city. Fury initially refused to shake hands with the champion after a stare down between the two that lasted for almost a minute, but finally did the formalities.

Watch the staredown:

“"I don't see where Tyson Fury has boxed anybody of Wladimir's calibre to be able to get in the ring with Wladimir and do well.”

- Lennox Lewis

"You can't achieve more than Wlad's already achieved," Fury was quoted by the BBC as saying.

"To come back from three knockout defeats and reign for nine years, you've got to admire him. But every dog has its day and it's got to come to an end at some point," he added.

For the champion, it is about remaining cool as a cucumber before a fight, and finishing the business in the ring, something he has done for over the last nine years. "Sometimes in training camp I wake up and wonder who I'm fighting," Klitschko said.

"The faces are the same, everything is the same, and I have to look at the poster to see who it is this time."